Bucking Bear (Pounding Hearts 3)

The pillow vibrates once more and it’s too bothersome to keep ignoring it. I unwrap my arms from around his neck and regretfully tear my mouth away, ending the kiss.

“What’s wrong?” he pants.

“My pillow is vibrating,” I answer, breathless.

He frowns down at me, mirroring my confusion. The pillow vibrates, his eyebrows twitch as if he noticed it. Shifting above me, he slides his hand beneath my pillow.

“Is this yours?” he asks, pulling his arm back and holding my phone in his hand.

I feel like someone just dumped a bucket of ice water on my head.

“Yes,” I answer, my blood chilled.

Glancing at my screen, I quickly notice I have several missed calls and five new voice messages.

Oh, shit. That can’t be good.

Unwrapping my arms from around his neck, I reach out my hand. Max hands me my phone and rolls off of me. Sitting up, I quickly scroll through all my missed calls. I have several texts from Carson, in all caps, telling me to call him.

Did something happen to Hope? I don’t even bother listening to my voice mails. I dial Carson and he immediately answers the phone.

“What the fuck, Grace?” he answers angrily.

I know he’s probably frustrated because he was trying to get in touch with me but it really pisses me off every time he cusses at me, especially if he does it front of Hope. It shows just a complete lack of respect for me.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself before I ask. “What’s wron—“

He cuts me off. “What’s wrong? Are you fucking kidding me? Do you know how much money you’re costing me? I’ve been trying to get ahold of you for over an hour.”

I double check the time on my phone. “Did something happen?”

“Yeah, I need you to come and pick up Hope now.”

“Nothing happened to her, she’s okay?”

“Yeah, she’s fine,” he growls impatiently. “She’s been up all morning bugging me.”

Dammit, Carson. He really just scared the crap out of me. I thought something happened to her. I don’t know why he’s in such a hurry for me to pick her up. I check the time again, perhaps I read it wrong. Nope, it’s only eight in morning.

I tell him, “I’m not supposed to pick her up for a couple more hours.” He should know this, he’s the one who pushed for it when we were working out custody.

“I don’t care. You need to come and get her now. I have to go to work.”

“Okay,” I sigh and feel that ache behind my eyes returning. I wish he would have told me when I dropped her off that he wanted her picked up early. “I’m coming to get her; I’ll be there shortly.”

Honestly, I don’t mind picking up Hope early. It’s just that the timing sucks today.

“You better. If you’re not here within the hour, don’t bother coming at all.”

My heart skips a beat to hear him say that. He’s threatening to not give her back? Just to punish me?

“I’ll be there,” I quickly assure him. I’m already sliding off my side of the bed and searching for the rest of my clothes.

“Time is money, Grace, and you owe me.”

The line goes dead.

Max